The Los Angeles Lakers’ momentum, which soared after Luka Doncic’s arrival and their defensive resurgence, has shortly faltered. A 118-106 loss to the Orlando Magic dropped the crew to 3-7 of their final 10 video games, with a mean defeat margin of 15.7 factors. Now, with simply 11 video games left within the common season, the Lakers face an important interval as they combat for a top-six seed within the Western Convention.
Luka Doncic mirrored on the crew’s struggles, saying, “I feel we simply acquired somewhat bit glad. We are able to’t afford that proper now.” The Lakers are simply three video games forward of the No. 7 LA Clippers, who’re at present within the play-in match. After a wake-up name in opposition to the Chicago Bulls, the place they have been defeated 146-115, Los Angeles hoped to bounce again however skilled a third-quarter collapse in opposition to the Magic, very similar to their earlier efficiency in opposition to the Bulls.
Dorian Finney-Smith identified that the crew’s offensive struggles within the third quarter negatively affected their protection. “We let our offense mess with our defensive power,” he stated. Doncic, who scored 21 factors within the first half however solely 11 afterward, took duty alongside LeBron James, who contributed 24 factors however struggled with a team-worst minus-17. “That’s on me,” Doncic stated. “I’ve acquired to do higher, I’ve acquired to speak extra.”
Regardless of the return of James and Rui Hachimura to the lineup after accidents, the Lakers’ protection has been inconsistent. Coach JJ Redick famous, “We weren’t in a position to maintain our stage of depth,” including that defensive lapses have develop into regarding. The Lakers allowed Orlando’s Franz Wagner (32 factors) and Paolo Banchero (30 factors) to dominate within the second half.
With seven of their last 11 video games on the street, the strain is on. Finney-Smith stays hopeful, noting, “We’d like the adversity. Particularly being a brand new crew, we get to be taught so much about one another throughout robust instances.” With their playoff aspirations on the road, the Lakers should discover a technique to regain their defensive depth and execute for a full 48 minutes.
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